I Will Not Bow

Now back in her regular clothes Autumn drove down the highway her eyes set on the road. As she drove a lurching feeling from her stomach made her bend over the steering wheel.

She shook her head and sat back up trying to ignore the gnawing in her gut. It came again stronger forcing her to pull over.

Autumn looked down knowing it was the thirst. Grabbing her back from the passenger seat she opened it and turned it upside down emptying the contents.

"I'm almost out." She said picking up the tube that only had a few ounces of the serum left.

With a distressed sigh Autumn injected herself with the last of the serum and gripped the steering wheel tightly as it roared through her system.

Ms. Chandler tossed and turned in her bed plagued by images of Autumn's mangled body on the coroners table.

A pair of luminescent green eyes watched her then slowly emerged from the darkness revealing their owner. Autumn walked over and stood over her mother before sitting beside her.

She watched as swear appeared and glistened on her mother's forehead as she clutched the sheets.

"No." Her mother said as she started crying in her sleep.

Autumn reached out and stroked her mother's cheek with the back of her hand wiping the tears away.

As soon as she touched her, her whimpers slowly died down and the tears stopped. Autumn pushed her mom's sweaty drenched hair away from her forehead.

Her mom sighed softly Autumn stood up pulled the covers to her chin. She leaned over and kissed her cheek before whispering...

"I love you mom." She said as tears came forehead.

"Autumn?" Ms. Chandler said sitting up in bed and turning on her lamp.

She looked around seeing nothing and nobody touching her forehead then her cheek. She settled back down giving her room another look before turning off the lamp and going back to sleep.

The man drove tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. As he drove he slowed downed as he came to a strip club that had a coroners van out front.

Coming to a stop he watched as two men rolled out a gurney with a body bag. He rolled down his window and listened to the pedestrians conversations.

"This is the fourth murder tonight." A man said.

"I know." Another said. "The police believe the killings are related cause eye witnesses have all said these people were last seen in the company of a woman with a bob cut."

The man drove away and looked at his weapon in the passenger seat then glanced at the picture of him, his wife, and daughter.

"Your killer will be dead by the end of tonight." He said.

Autumn stood on a rooftop looking at the bakery which was across from it. She watched as the lights went off and a guy came out holding a sign.

She watched sadly as Manny sniffled before putting up the sign which had in big bold letters CLOSED. Manny started sobbing harder and wiped his eyes.

"Oh Manny." Autumn whispered as tears flowed down her face.

Manny looked across the street hearing Autumn. "I'm still hearing things." He said. "She's not coming back ever."

Autumn was crouched down and watched as Manny walked away. She sobbed into her hands before getting up remembering she had a mission to be accomplished.

She groaned and stumbled grabbing her stomach. Getting back into the car she dialed the number.

"Autumn?" Sita said.

"Sita I'm out." She said. "I'm out of the serum and it's getting worse."

"Okay we have friends who can provide you with more." Sita said. "Emmanuel and his wife Marguerite they know about you and help you."

"Thanks." Autumn said hanging up and driving to their home after getting the address.

Arriving at their house Autumn looked at the house alert. It was completely dark and she heard no signs of life not even a heartbeat.

Getting out she approached the house cautiously with her crossbow raised. Now on the front porch she knocked then noticed the door ajar.

Pushing open the door she stopped seeing the entire house in disarray. The couch was overturned, papers and pictures were in the floor, etc.

"Hello?" Autumn said getting no response.

She walked in and stopped sniffing smelling blood. She looked down a shaky gasp escaping her lips at the sight of blood at the stairs.

She looked seeing a blood trail leading up the stairs following it she walked up seeing blood smeared on the walls.

Autumn followed it seeing handprints on a door pushing it open she stumbled seeing the mangled mutilated body of a man on the floor.

Walking over she checked his pulse already knowing he was dead. A sob escaped her lips as she walked out following the trail to the end of the hallway.

The last door had been completely ripped from its hinges. She walked in gasping observing the carnage in the baby's room.

Blood was splattered on the walls, shelves, crib. It all originating from the body of a woman.

She was lying near the crib her throat ripped out along with her heart.

Autumn shuddering seeing no sign of a baby. She was about to leave and tell Sita about the killings when she heard a soft heartbeat.

She stopped listening she heard it along worth a soft whimper.

Looking around her eyes fixated on the floor. Walking over she pushed the crib aside and the body. Pulling back the carpet she saw a floor board.

Squatting down she pulled the board up. Hidden in the floor was a baby girl who looked about one. She was wearing a pink one piece sleeping clothes that had droplets of blood on it.

Her face had tears rolling down her cheeks she stopped seeing Autumn. She looked at her with wide brown eyes that were red from crying.

"You poor thing." Autumn said and cradled the baby's head which made her cry. "Sweetheart don't cry."

"What's your name hmm?" Autumn asked then heard glass crack as she stepped back.

She looked down seeing a picture of the couple holding their baby. It read Dad + Mom = Piper.

"Piper." Autumn said then looked back at the baby.

She squatted down and put a hand under the baby's head then her back gently pulling her out the floor.

"Is Piper your name?" Autumn asked cradling her in her arms.

Piper looked at her with wide eyes as tears ran down her face.

"It's okay Piper." Autumn said then looked in her crib taking a pacifier and putting it in the baby's mouth.

"You're okay." She said wiping her tears away and gently cradling her in her arms. "You're gonna be fine I'll take care of you."

Autumn didn't hear footsteps coming behind her till she heard the sound of something cocking. She turned seeing a man with shaggy hair, blue eyes, wearing a sleeveless shirt and a vest on top, work boots, and ripped jeans.

"Give me the baby." He said holding a ready to fire crossbow.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked holding Piper close.

"I'm Daryl Dixon and I'm a vampire hunter." He said.